Private cleanups overburden city crews Many owners of unkempt land don't pay for cleaning

Published: Friday, September 18, 1992 at 3:15 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, September 18, 1992 at 12:00 a.m.

Spartanburg city workers spent so much time last year manicuring 159 pieces of unkept private property that they could only give minimal attention to public rights-of-way, streets and city-owned lots. "If you drive around the city you can see weeds behind the curbs and it just looks messy, " said Mike Garrett, city public works director. Garrett said the problem stems from an ordinance that requires city workers to set aside time to clear off any overgrown lot, public or private, that draws a citizen complaint. Property owners are notified if a complaint is lodged, but if no progress is made, prison crews are sent to clear the site and the owner is billed. The increased workload means inmates can spend only a limited amount of time tending to public property such as Duncan Park, street cleaning and recycling centers. Garrett said his frustration is compounded by the fact that 60 percent of work done on private property goes unpaid. He added that the bills will continue to be ignored until the city beefs up its enforcement. "People are playing the game," Garrett told the Spartanburg City Council this week. "We clean their lot after we get a complaint, and then we don't aggressively seek payment." City Attorney Spencer King said he is looking into placing liens against properties owned by citizens who have not paid their bills. The city charges $70 an hour to clean the lots, which includes labor for three to four prison inmates and the use of heavy machinery. Last year, 159 invoices totaling $17,710 were sent to private citizens for work completed. The city collected about $6,160, or 34 percent of what was owed. King said he plans to file liens in the Spartanburg County Register of Mesne Conveyance Office requiring buyers to pay the city before the land can be purchased. "The lien isn't worth the paper it's written on if it's hidden under a rock," King said of the city's current enforcement method. He suggested that the city charge citizens with a misdemeanor, which carries a $200 fine or 30 days in jail, if the bills are not paid. Until now, the city has sent out vouchers asking for payment, but no further action has been taken. Officials estimate that 638 properties were cited for violations last year, 468 were cleaned and about 100 lots went unpaid. A large majority of the cleaned lots are represented by 100 city properties that are each cleaned three times a year. Councilwoman Ellen Hines Smith said the city should seek foreclosure on properties where owners repeatedly violated the lot ordinance and did not pay for the work. Garrett said city workers don't mind clearing the lots if the bills are paid. The city is considering three options to remedy the problem. The city could spend about $160,000 to hire an additional community improvement officer, a labor supervisor, a truck driver, a tractor, a bushhog and a new dump truck. The other approach is to clean the private lots and then send out reminders to the owners each year. Both systems would cost the city money. Garrett said the most cost-effective method is to hire a contractor to clean the lots and then aggressively seek payment, allowing the program to pay for itself. The Spartanburg City Council will consider the matter within the next month. Phyllis Fox, the financial secretary at Southside Baptist Church, said her congregation pays the city about $300 to clean its vacant lot at the corner of Spring and Carlisle streets. "We pay them because we don't have the equipment to clean it ourselves," she said. "But the city shouldn't do it for people who aren't paying. The city put a deadline on upgrading downtown buildings. They should do the same with the vacant lots." LOTCLE.EN

<p> Spartanburg city workers spent so much time last year manicuring 159 pieces of unkept private property that they could only give minimal attention to public rights-of-way, streets and city-owned lots. "If you drive around the city you can see weeds behind the curbs and it just looks messy, " said Mike Garrett, city public works director. Garrett said the problem stems from an ordinance that requires city workers to set aside time to clear off any overgrown lot, public or private, that draws a citizen complaint. Property owners are notified if a complaint is lodged, but if no progress is made, prison crews are sent to clear the site and the owner is billed. The increased workload means inmates can spend only a limited amount of time tending to public property such as Duncan Park, street cleaning and recycling centers. Garrett said his frustration is compounded by the fact that 60 percent of work done on private property goes unpaid. He added that the bills will continue to be ignored until the city beefs up its enforcement. "People are playing the game," Garrett told the Spartanburg City Council this week. "We clean their lot after we get a complaint, and then we don't aggressively seek payment." City Attorney Spencer King said he is looking into placing liens against properties owned by citizens who have not paid their bills. The city charges $70 an hour to clean the lots, which includes labor for three to four prison inmates and the use of heavy machinery. Last year, 159 invoices totaling $17,710 were sent to private citizens for work completed. The city collected about $6,160, or 34 percent of what was owed. King said he plans to file liens in the Spartanburg County Register of Mesne Conveyance Office requiring buyers to pay the city before the land can be purchased. "The lien isn't worth the paper it's written on if it's hidden under a rock," King said of the city's current enforcement method. He suggested that the city charge citizens with a misdemeanor, which carries a $200 fine or 30 days in jail, if the bills are not paid. Until now, the city has sent out vouchers asking for payment, but no further action has been taken. Officials estimate that 638 properties were cited for violations last year, 468 were cleaned and about 100 lots went unpaid. A large majority of the cleaned lots are represented by 100 city properties that are each cleaned three times a year. Councilwoman Ellen Hines Smith said the city should seek foreclosure on properties where owners repeatedly violated the lot ordinance and did not pay for the work. Garrett said city workers don't mind clearing the lots if the bills are paid. The city is considering three options to remedy the problem. The city could spend about $160,000 to hire an additional community improvement officer, a labor supervisor, a truck driver, a tractor, a bushhog and a new dump truck. The other approach is to clean the private lots and then send out reminders to the owners each year. Both systems would cost the city money. Garrett said the most cost-effective method is to hire a contractor to clean the lots and then aggressively seek payment, allowing the program to pay for itself. The Spartanburg City Council will consider the matter within the next month. Phyllis Fox, the financial secretary at Southside Baptist Church, said her congregation pays the city about $300 to clean its vacant lot at the corner of Spring and Carlisle streets. "We pay them because we don't have the equipment to clean it ourselves," she said. "But the city shouldn't do it for people who aren't paying. The city put a deadline on upgrading downtown buildings. They should do the same with the vacant lots." LOTCLE.EN</p><!-- Nothing to do. The paragraph has already been output -->